The present invention relates to a scanning exposure apparatus wherein a scanning/moving means scans an original by moving it, and a slit image transmitted through or reflected on the original and then projected and a light-sensitive material are caused to move relatively so that the light-sensitive material may be exposed to an image of the original through scanning exposure.
As an image forming apparatus wherein a light-sensitive material (for example, a photographic paper such as a color paper) is exposed to an original (for example, a photographic film such as a color negative film, a color reversal film or a monochromatic film, hereinafter referred to as a photographic film), there has been an image forming apparatus of a stationary exposure type wherein an entire frame of a photographic film is illuminated by a light source and a light-sensitive material is exposed to light of the entire frame transmitted through the photographic film. In the case of the image forming apparatus of a stationary exposure type, an image of a photographic film is focused on a light-sensitive material, and thereby, an optical system has to be arranged in a straight line, resulting in a large-sized apparatus.
With the foregoing for a background, there has been developed a scanning exposure apparatus as that disclosed in Japanese TOKKAIHEI 3-216636 to make an apparatus small in size. In such a scanning exposure apparatus, an original (photographic film) and a light-sensitive material are synchronized to be conveyed.
In the case of synchronized conveyance, at least one of an original and a light-sensitive material is suspended, and then is started to move synchronizing with a movement of the other, and in the course of synchronized conveyance for both, the state of constant speed is maintained. However, a moving speed in the state of constant speed needs to be changed variously, because the light-sensitive material is exposed to the original at various magnifications. It is therefore necessary to contrive in many ways for conveying both the original and the light-sensitive material synchronously.